Artist's sculpture of icu nurse he met in covid lockdowns to be gifted to leeds as thanks to nhs workers

Published 18th Aug 2022, 06:00 BST Now this sculpture, of an ICU nurse from Leeds’ St James’ Hospital, hopes to capture the spirit of NHS workers’ dedication and care. Paul Digby, meeting

new nurse Emily Greaves-Brayne during the worst times of the Covid pandemic, was struck by how exhausted she was. Capturing her image in clay, he is now crowdfunding to create the final

sculpture, which will be gifted to the city after museum exhibitions. “Emily was always the nurse at the bedside of patients, throughout the pandemic,” he said. “Because families couldn’t go

in to see patients, she was the one holding their hands. “This sculpture is of a nurse, but it’s meant to represent everybody in the NHS. Every single healthcare worker, admin assistant and

doctor and cleaner.” Mr Digby, born in Grimsby, is a Leeds-based accomplished artist and sculptor who has exhibited all over Yorkshire. Some years ago he worked with emergency services

staff on a series of drawings and paintings. Then, under lockdown, he kept seeing the same ICU nurse in his local supermarket, exhaustion etched onto her face. Determined to pay tribute to

such NHS workers’ efforts, he met with her colleague ICU nurse Ms Greaves-Brayne, who only started nursing at St James’ in January 2020. POSITIVITY This sculpture, entitled Looking to the

Future, hopes to signify some of her positivity and care, he said. Most notable, he said, were her clasped hands. “It’s almost a subtle prayer pose, with the way that she’s standing,” he

said. “I really respect the fact that she doesn’t see herself as a hero. “We need to celebrate their work, to make a monument to their care.” Already, more than £1,000 has been raised, and

funding secured from Leeds Phil and Lit, Leeds Inspired, and Leeds Community Committee Funds. The project is backed by Leeds City Council, Leeds 2023 and Leeds City Museums, and endorsed by

MP Hillary Benn. Barnsley bard, Ian McMillan, has penned a poem to it. FUNDRAISING The clay model has been built, and it now needs fabricating. The hope is to create a plinth, featuring

McMillan’s poem, and a JustGiving page is raising the final £2,000. “I’m giving the sculpture to the city, and people can decide where they want it to be sited,” said Mr Digby, from North

Leeds, whose own mother was a nurse. “They go above and beyond. They care, and they don’t ask for much in return. “This is a way of saying thank you, and remembering all the NHS staff and

how they put their lives on the line to help others.” EXHIBITIONS Exhibitions of the sculpture are to be at Leeds Museum Galleries from January, then at St James’, before the people of Leeds

vote on a final space for it to be permanently sited. Ian McMillan, who has written a poem about the sculpture, will also be doing a poetry recital at Kirkstall’s Leftbank in October,

alongside exhibitions of Mr Digby’s drawings. A second satellite exhibition of these drawings is also to be held at The Woods in Chapel Allerton in September.

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